


Living Nightmare

by SterekShipper



Category: teen wolf - Fandom
Genre: Angst, M/M, Theo/Liam’s POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:42:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25609807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SterekShipper/pseuds/SterekShipper
Summary: Why is Theo in the woods and where is Liam?
Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi y’all! 😄
> 
> I’m back, and this time, The story is already complete. So, no wait!
> 
> The story is told from both Theo and Liam’s POV. The first five chapters alternate between Theo and Liam, and we finish with chapter six from Theo’s POV.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this, and thank you for reading! 😁

The trees surrounded him, growing denser the further he went. Sunlight courses through the thick leaves; fading to a darkened silhouette towards the centre of the Preserve. Sticks snapped underfoot, the air quiet. Eerily so. The trees appeared devoid of life; no birds or animals of any kind to be seen or heard.  
He’d lost count of how long he’d been searching. It had started by the break of dawn, earlier still. He hadn’t slept; he couldn’t. Not now. Now when Liam was missing.

Something had felt off the moment he woke up the day before. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but he’d felt cold. Empty. Like a piece of him was gone. That should have been enough of a warning. At least if you ask him. He should have known then what had happened, but he didn’t. It wasn’t until Liam hadn’t shown for lunch as planned, that he finally realised. The pieces fell into place with a sickening feeling settling deep in his stomach.

Every call went unanswered, his phone heavy in his hand. The silence ate away at him, threatening to snap the thin thread holding him together. The need to find Liam was the only thing keeping him together. If he lost control, if he let himself feel the storm of emotions shouting to be heard, he’d be useless. This wasn’t the time. Once he found Liam, once Liam was safe in his arms, then he’d let it all in. Until then, he had to keep moving.

“Liam!”

There was no sign of anyone yet; no trace of where Liam might be... or who had taken him. It wasn’t a guess or a possibility. He knew. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind, he _knew_. Liam had been taken. It went without saying, the person or people responsible had better hide and fast. If he got his hands on them, _when_ he got his hands on them, there would be no mercy. No one hurts Liam and gets away with it. He was ready to send a message no hunter would soon forget. For that was something else he knew without question. It had been a hunter who’d taken Liam, and that was their last mistake.

“Liam!”

If only he could hear his heartbeat. He must still be too far. He had never realised how wide the Preserve was; he hadn’t been this deep before. Nor had the Pack as far as he knew.

“Liam!”

Another hour or two passed. Still, he had nothing. Nothing to go on. Nothing to answer the burning question: where was Liam? His nerves had well since been worn thin; the stress getting to him. He wouldn’t get anywhere if he snapped now. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm. It would be okay. Liam would be okay. He just had to find where the hunters had hauled up. Once he did, they could go home. Everything would go back to normal. He just had to find-

He stopped dead in his tracks. His heart was pounding, his throat dry. Something in him broke. He couldn’t take his eyes off the trees ahead. Off the sight in front of them. Sprawled across the grass was Liam. Covered in blood. Eyes closed. No heartbeat.  
“No. No, no, no, no!”

He barely registered running forward. He didn’t notice bending down. The only part he was aware of was that Liam wasn’t moving. Wasn’t breathing. “Liam.” It came out in a broken sob. “No. No, please.” His eyes stung; the prickle of tears, followed by uncontrollable streams.  
His whole world came crashing down. His heart had been ripped open; its shell discarded like it had meant nothing. That couldn’t be further from the truth. It was everything, and it was gone.

Liam was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

“Theo’s been like this since the Preserve. He hasn’t moved once. He’s just lying there.” The Pack stood around the exam room at the animal clinic. Deaton had to know what to do. There had to an answer. A way to fix this.  
“What exactly did the witch say?” Deaton always seemed controlled, unaffected. The vet’s composure never slipped; never gave anything away. That didn’t mean Deaton didn’t care. That much was obvious. There just wasn’t any room for error, and someone had to stay calm.

“ _Qui tradere dolore et timore, erit pati cor eorum scriptor core terrorem._ ” Stiles recited with ease. To him, it was nothing more than something which had hurt Theo. The witch was lucky Scott held him back, or she wouldn’t have walked out of there. Not in one piece. The Pack has secured her; managing to bind her hands with a chain, rendering her magic obsolete. She was powerless, and Liam wanted to tear her apart for what she’d done.  
He had to focus, though. Theo needed him.  
“For those who impart pain and fear, shall suffer their heart’s core terror.” Deaton’s voice brought him back to the present. “This is a nightmare curse.”

He felt his eyes widen. This was one of the worst things the witch could have done. Other than physical injuries (which they could deal with), or killing him, this would hurt Theo the most. He had seen Theo’s nightmares when they’d moved in together. The first night, he had jumped out of bed and sprinted down the hall, when he heard Theo crying. He hadn’t been prepared for the sight he was met with when he pushed through the door. Theo was in bed, thrashing like he was trying to escape. Tears were rolling down Theo’s cheeks, and he felt his heart clench at the thought of Theo in pain. It had gotten worse when he heard the words, “I’m sorry, Tara. I’m sorry.”

It had taken a while to wake Theo, and after realising what had happened, that Liam had seen, Theo had tried to run. He watched as Theo shut down, unwilling to talk or face it. It hadn’t been easy working through Theo’s distress and Theo coming to terms with his vulnerability. Now, here they were. Theo was being forced to face that fear again, and this time there was nothing he could do.


	3. Chapter 3

He looked up to find Tara standing above them. Cold terror ran through his veins. He held onto Liam for dear life. “Don’t take me back. I’ll be good.”  
“I’m not here for you.”  
His heart stopped. Looking at Liam for a second, he found himself shaking before turning back to Tara. “No. No, Tara, you can’t.” There was nothing but silence. A blank stare; unwavering in its force. “He didn’t do anything. He doesn’t deserve this.”  
His voice was uneven; that of a frightened child. Never once had he thought this would happen. It didn’t make sense. He understood why Tara would come for him, but not Liam. Liam was innocent.  
  
“He chose you. He chose the monster who killed me; he chose the thief, the murderer.” His whispered pleas continued unheard. Tara kept talking as though he’d never said anything. “It’s my heart that beats in your chest. It’s my heart that Liam holds.”

“I love him.” Every time he spoke, he sounded weaker. Helpless. Desperate.  
“That’s why I chose him. Liam is the person you care about the most; the one you’d die for. You sentenced him to this fate. You stole my heart, and I’m here to take back its source.  
Seeing Tara’s hands on Liam, seeing her pull at Liam’s feet, left him terrified. He tried to fight her; he did. He tried to hold on, to protect Liam. He tried, but he lost. Liam slipped through his fingers, as if made of water.

A hole opened in the ground behind them, and just like that Tara and Liam were gone. They fell in wordlessly; the ground closing above them. He had nothing left. The shambles of his life mocked him, mocked his hope. He just sat there, staring at the grass, begging Tara to bring Liam back.


	4. Chapter 4

If the fact Theo was re-living nightmares wasn’t bad enough, it turns out the curse was designed to drain their life in the process. If they didn’t free Theo soon, it could be too late. Deaton knew of a remedy to break the curse, however, they needed to collect and mix the ingredients. It required a range of herbs; some of which he had never heard of. By the time the mixture had been prepared and allowed to set, he was ready to scream. He hadn’t felt this angry since he and Theo started dating. He’d always had Theo to anchor him. Now, he was on his own. The Pack tried to help, but it wasn’t working. He needed Theo.

Deaton applied the mixture in a smooth line across Theo’s head, whilst reciting the spell. “ _Esse adhuc metus. Set liberum animum_.” Apparently, it meant ‘be still your fears. Set free your mind.’ Please, let it work. “ _Esse adhuc metus. Set liberum animum_.”  
They waited, but nothing happened. Theo was the same as when they started. Deaton reapplied the herbs and tried again, but still, nothing.  
“Why isn’t it working?” He didn’t care that his voice cracked. It was becoming harder to stay calm when the cure had failed. For all Deaton knew, he couldn’t find an answer in the man’s expression. Nor did the Pack appear to have any idea as to what went wrong. “You said this would work, Deaton! Why isn’t Theo waking up?!”

He would have continued, were it not for the sound he heard, or rather, didn’t hear. Theo’s heartbeat had slowed, was decreasing as he watched. It jumped once, then sputtered and dropped.  
“What’s happening?!” It took a moment, but soon Lydia’s eyes widened. There was a sadness in her look; a silent realisation. “What?” A tinge of sympathy surfaced. “What?!”  
“I think Theo’s given up.”  
His heart skipped a beat. “No.” It was whisper thin. “He wouldn’t-”

“I’m sorry, Liam.” Lydia meant well. She didn’t want to be the one to suggest the worst. She didn’t want to upset him. To be the one to break the news. Despite all of that, he hated how softly she spoke. Like Theo’s fate was sealed. Like she was trying to break the news to him. “It explains why the spell didn’t work. It’s designed to free someone whose trapped, someone who wants to return to reality. The spell can’t find anything to hold on to. Whatever Theo’s nightmare is, he’s given up hope.”

That was the last straw. An unbearable rage built up and he snapped. Lydia stepped back, concern etched in her features. He felt his fist curl and the next thing he knew, he’d punched a hole in the wall. “I’m _not_ losing him. Theo is _not_ dying.” His eyes flashed, his claws extended. There was no way he was going to stand here and listen to the Pack write Theo off.

  
They _would_ save Theo.


	5. Chapter 5

He hadn’t moved. Not since Tara had taken Liam. Not since he’d been left alone. He couldn’t bear to stand, couldn’t bear to leave Liam behind. Instead, he just lay listlessly in the grass. Night had fallen. Encompassing the trees in darkness; the town hidden.  
It was as if he’d been abandoned to a world all his own. He was the sole occupant, far from anyone. There was no life; no chirping, no trickling water, no warmth from the morning sun. It was a world of emptiness; a hollow, numb feeling settling in his chest.  
What was he to do, now? How was he supposed to continue? The one person he wanted to protect the most was suffering because he’d fallen in love. The irony did not go unnoticed. How cruel could life be? To let him have what he wanted; to let him be happy, only to take it away.

“Theo.”  
A voice arose from the shadows. Shrouded, he saw no one at first. Not until the person stepped forward. It couldn’t be. He’d seen it with his own eyes. He’d watched it happen.  
“Li-Liam?”  
“You killed me.”  
“No. No, I-”  
“You killed me.” It was an accusation. A threat. It was said with anger, with disgust, with blame.  
“I didn’t- Tara-”

“It’s _your_ fault. I’m in hell because of _you_.” Tears formed once more. Had he ever cried this much? Had he ever been this distraught? This broken? “You _sent_ me here. You let her take me. You let me take your place.” The words were spoken with such venom and disdain, he didn’t know what to do.

“I’m sorry.”  
“I wish I’d never met you.”  
With that, any hope he’d had, (as unlikely as it was), vanished. What was the point in living? There was nothing here for him. Not anymore.  
“Take me.” It was time. It had been a long time coming; some would say overdue. “Let Liam go. Take me instead.”

There it was. The bottomless hole that lead to his eternal torment. As he walked forward, he observed with little interest that he wasn’t scared. There was no tightness in his chest; his heartbeat steady. In fact, he felt nothing. There was nothing left to give.  
Standing at the edge of the abyss, he looked into the eyes of his sister. Those dead eyes. There was no emotion, no mercy. This was how it had to be. Liam was always meant to survive. It had never been a choice. If one had to die, it would be him.

He froze, one foot raised. A growl shattered the quiet; leaves rustling in its wake. It sounded distant; somehow separate to the Preserve. But, who? There was no one else here.   
“Theo.” Liam’s voice rose from two directions, one directly behind him and the other out of sight. “Theo.” When he looked up, his Liam was gone. The other voice was getting louder with every call. The more he listened, the more he felt a weight lifting.  
“Theo, wake up.” It didn’t make sense to ask him to wake up. He wasn’t asleep. He didn’t want to leave. He never had, but he had to save Liam. “You are _not_ leaving me.”

Something wrapped tightly around his ankles. He glanced down and was met by Tara’s lifeless eyes. “It’s time.” Tara’s tone was icy, as they dragged him forward. Through hell’s entrance.

He didn’t want to go. He didn’t want to leave, Liam. It might not make sense, but something was wrong. Distant or not, he’d heard that call. He’d heard the plea, and it was Liam. He didn’t understand how, but it was. He clawed at the ground, blood dripping from the torn skin. It took everything he had, but he needed to escape.

“No. No! I won’t go back there!”


	6. Chapter 6

Gasping, he jolted up to find himself no longer in the Preserve. He was now sitting in the animal clinic, surrounded by the Pack.  
But where-?  
“Theo?”  
Liam. Blue eyes met his as Liam bent down, gently wrapping their hands together. He was right. Liam was alive. How that was possible had yet to be answered, but he didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was that Liam was safe.  
“Liam?” It was raspy; his voice weak and broken from his fear. The fear he’d lost everything. “I’m sorry.”  
“For what?” Liam shouldn’t sound so soothing, so accepting. Not for him. Not after what had happened.  
“It should have been me.”

“What are you talking about?”  
“It should have been me. I should have died, not you.” There wasn’t an ounce of doubt. He didn’t want to die; he didn’t want to be trapped in hell. Having his heart ripped out wasn’t his idea of fun. Far from it. But if it meant Tara left Liam alone, if it meant Liam could live a full life, he would.  
“Theo.” There was a hint of caution, of uncertainty in the way Liam spoke. “No one died. I’m alive. We all are.”  
No, that- that couldn’t be. He shook his head, tears threatening to fall at any moment. “No, I-I saw you. I saw her take you.” He wasn’t sure anymore. Liam wouldn’t lie, but if it never happened, then why did it still feel so real?

“It was a nightmare. The witch cursed you, but this- _this_ is real. I’m here, I’m safe. _We’re_ safe.”

When someone unexpectedly clapped his shoulder, a wave of panic set in. In seconds, he’d rounded on the threat; his vision hazy. A growl slipped out and their attacker fled.  
“Wait! Theo, it’s Stiles!” Liam grabbed his arm, holding him back. “It’s Stiles!”  
Blinking, he waited as the gaze cleared. Deaton’s. They were at Deaton’s. The Pack- “Stiles?”

“Hey.” Stiles peered from behind Scott, meekly.

“Its just us. No one’s going to hurt you.” As Liam pulled him closer, he took a sharp breath and collapsed. Liam caught him, his head buried in the nook of Liam’s neck.  
“We’ll leave you two alone.” He appreciated Lydia’s offer. As much as he was happy to see them, he needed to be with Liam. It was all he could think about. Thinking back to what Liam had said about the witch, he remembered chasing her through the Preserve. The real Preserve. He’d almost caught her, too. If only she hadn’t hit him with that spell.  
A spell. That must have been what Liam meant. If it had caused him to see such an image, then it had to be a nightmare curse. It was just his luck to be the victim of that spell, of all spells. Not that he’d ever admit to being a victim. Nor would he be seen as one. He would, however, prevent someone from using Liam as leverage.

“I have to go.”  
“Okay, we can go home and-”  
“No. I mean, I have to leave Beacon Hills.”  
“What?” It wasn’t hard to see Liam’s confusion. That wasn’t what Liam had expected or wanted to hear. “Why would you-?”  
“I won’t let them come after you. Not again.”  
“Theo, we’ve been through this. What you saw-”  
“I know. It was fake. That doesn’t change the fact that someone could come after you. If anything happened to you...” He released a shaky breath, struggling to continue. He hated just thinking about it. “It would hurt too much.”

“There’s always a chance of getting hurt, Theo. We can’t guarantee something won’t go wrong. We just have to hope that any fight we find ourselves in, turns out in our favour. I’ll fight with you; I’ll have your back, the same way you have mine.”  
“You don’t understand, Liam. I can’t lose you. If something happened during a fight, that would be bad enough, but if it was because of me... I couldn’t survive that.”

“That’s your fear talking. I’m not saying it’s easy. I don’t expect you to just pretend the day doesn’t exist, and that everything’s fine. You need to realise you are not at fault here. _If_ something happens, not that I think it will, it wouldn’t be on you. You aren’t the one responsible for causing it, therefore you can’t blame yourself.”  
“Liam-”  
“Do you think I want to lose you? I don’t. I would be lost without you, and that includes if you walk away. Don’t put me through that. Please.”

His entire body was screaming at him to run. To put this town, to put Liam, behind him. He just couldn’t find the energy or the will to go through with it. They both knew he wanted to be here. This was where he belonged. He’d built a life, and he didn’t want to give it up.  
He didn’t need to answer; not with words. Ever since the Wild Hunt, they’d been able to understand what the other was thinking. All it took was a look, a gesture. So instead, he just sighed and curled into Liam’s chest. The drive home was silent; their hands linked the entire time. He wasn’t ready to let go; the presence grounding him.

He might have to accept that danger comes with being part of the supernatural, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t put up a fight. It was months before he let Liam out of his sight. Though Liam hadn’t said anything, he could tell he was becoming overbearing. There was something in those blue eyes; something that shouldn’t be there. The constant watch was suffocating, and though Liam would never say as much, it had to stop.

Nor did he miss the appreciative smile or the sigh of relief when he said he was going to his room. If they were ever going to get back to normal, he had to take a step back. It was far from over, but he was working on it.


End file.
